Balloon vending machine



April 30, 1968 c ELLENBERG ET AL 3,380,490

BALLOON VENDING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1966 AFN mws

INVENTORS: CARL H. ELLENBERG ARNOLD WEINSTEIN DONALD D. LITT DAVID 8. JA ROFF ATTORNEY ALEC United States Patent 3,380,490 BALLOON VENDING MACHINE Carl H. Ellenberg, Bayside, Arnold Weinstein, Westbury, Donald D. Litt, Scarsdale, and David B. Jar-off, New York, N.Y., assignors to Miner Industries, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 519,992 11 Claims. (Cl. l41167) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A balloon vending machine has balloons frictionally retained at their necks in spaced openings of a flexible belt which is intermittently advanced across a compartment opening to the exterior of a cabinet so as to register each balloon, in succession, with a nozzle moved toward and away from the belt in such compartment, and gases for inflating a balloon in the compartment are supplied to the nozzle when the latter is moved toward the belt and engaged with the balloon registered therewith, whereupon the inflated balloon can be separated from the belt and withdrawn from the compartment. Each balloon neck preferably has a check valve therein, and, after inflation of each balloon, the nozzle is further moved toward the belt to act on the respective check valve for removing the valve and balloon neck from the belt opening.

This invention relates generally to a machine for dispensing or vending inflated toy balloons.

It has been previously proposed, for example, in US. Letters Patent No. 3,191,801, issued June 29, 1965, to provide a machine which, in response to the closing of a switch preferably by the deposit of a coin, operates to remove a balloon from a supply thereof within a cabinet and to feed or discharge such balloon to the exterior of the cabinet, and which, following such discharge, is operative to inflate the balloon, preferably with a mixture of air and helium so that the balloon will be buoyant in the atmosphere. In such existing machine, each balloon is delivered or discharged to the exterior of the cabinet in uninflated condition, whereupon the user or consumer manually engages the balloon with a nozzle extending from the cabinet and actuates a further control to cause inflation of the balloon with gases supplied to the nozzle. It is apparent that the described manual operations required of the user of the existing machine are disadvantageous in that the failure of the user to properly engage the balloon with the nozzle or the actuation of the control for supplying inflating gases to the nozzle before the engagement of the balloon therewith can result in the improper or inadequate inflation of the balloon and lead to consumer dissatisfaction.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a machine which, in response to the closing of a switch, for example, by the deposit of a coin, operates to deliver to the consumer or user of the machine a balloon which is fully inflated preferably with a mixture of air and helium.

Another object is to provide a machine of the described character which is of simple construction so as to be capable of inexpensive production, and which is foolproof in operation and resistant to tampering so that the need for supervision and maintenance of the machine will be minimized.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the balloons to be vended are provided with check valves in the usual necks thereof which are frictionally held in openings spaced apart along a belt or web, and the belt or web is intermittently advanced through a distance equal to the spacing between the successive openings therein so that,

ice

during each period when the belt is at rest, the check valve of a balloon carried by the belt is aligned with, and engaged by a nozzle through which gaces are delivered to the balloon for inflating the latter within a compartment to which access may be had from the exterior of the cabinet.

In accordance with another feature of this invention, each balloon is automatically separated from the web or belt following its inflation, preferably by movement imparted to the inflating nozzle so as to knock-out from the opening of the belt the neck of the inflated balloon and the check valve held in the neck for retaining the inflating gases within the balloon.

In accordance with still another feature of this invention, the compartment of the cabinet within which each balloon is inflated has a door or closure for the opening thereof to the exterior of the cabinet, and such door or closure is provided with a latch which is locked or secured upon the initiation of each operating cycle of the machine and is released only upon the completion of the inflation of a balloon to permit removal of the latter from the compartrnent.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a balloon vending machine embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of the machine, but with the front wall thereof removed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view taken along the line 6-6 on FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of the guides for the balloon carrying belt and a stabilizing member provided at the inflating station; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical control circuits of the illustrated machine.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that a balloon vending machine embodying this invention and there generally identified by the reference numeral 10 comprises an upright cabinet 11 including a front wall 12 having an opening provided with a hinged door or closure 13 formed, at least in part, of a transparent material to permit viewing therethrough of the interior of a compartment 14 (FIG. 2) positioned approximately centrally within cabinet 11. Compartment 14 is defined by side walls 15 and 16, a bottom wall 17 and a top wall 18 extending from the back wall 19 of cabinet 11 to front wall 12 around the opening of the latter provided with the door 13 so that, upon opening of such door, access may be had to compartment 14 from the exterior of cabinet 11.

A storage receptacle 20, for example, in the form of an upwardly open box, is contained in cabinet 11 below compartment 14 to contain a supply of the balloons to be vended or dispensed. As shown particularly on FIG. 3, each balloon B has the usual neck N with a thickened head or rim R extending around its mouth, and a check valve assembly V is secured in the mouth of the balloon to permit the passage of gas therethrough only in the direction for inflating the balloon. The valve assembly V may be of a conventional type that is shown to include a generally cylindrical plastic body 21 having an external circumferential groove in which the thickened rim R of the balloon tightly engages for preventing inadvertent sepatation of the valve assembly from the balloon. Valve body 21 has a lateral wall 22 extending thercacross between its ends and provided with a central aperture 23 for the pas sage therethrough of the gases for inflating the balloon. A cage or perforated retainer 24 is inserted in valve body 21 at the side of lateral wall 22 facing the interior of the balloon, and a valve disk 25 is niovably disposed in body 21 between lateral wall 22 and retainer 24. Thus, when gases under pressure are supplied to valve body 21 at the exposed end of the latter, as hereinafter described in detail, disk 25 is urged against cage or retainer 24 to open aperture 23 and thereby permit such gases to enter balloon B for inflating the latter. However, after inflation of the balloon, the excess pressure of the gases contained therein urge disk 25 against wall 22 so as to close aperture 23 and thereby prevent the escape of the inflating gases from the balloon.

In accordance with this invention, the balloons B to be vended or dispensed are releasably carried by an elongated, flexible belt or web 26 having openings 27 (FIG. 4) that are uniformly spaced apart along the belt and each dimensioned to receive and frictionally retain the neck of a balloon B provided with a valve assembly V, as described above.

Balloons are mounted in all of openings 27 of belt 26 with the exception of those openings along one end portion of the belt which constitutes a leader. The belt 26 with balloons B suspended therefrom is laid in folds or otherwise stored in receptacle 20, and the end portion of the belt constituting a leader is drawn upwardly from storage receptacle 20 and fed along a guide 28 that extends laterally across top wall 18 of compartment 14 and has a downwardly curving entry 29 at the outside of side wall 15 supported by a bracket 30 (FIG. 2). As shown particularly on FIGS. 3 and 7, guide 28 includes two spaced apart, parallel channel members 31 opening toward each other so as to slidably receive the longitudinal edge portions of belt 26 with the necks of the successive balloons held in openings 27 of the belt being accommodated in the slot 32 that extends centrally along guide 28 and is defined between channel members 31. Side wall 15 has an opening 33 (FIG. 6) through which guide 28 extends, and such opening is of suflicient size to permit balloons suspended from belt 26 to enter compartment 14 through opening 33. The opposite side wall 16 of compartment 14 has an opening 34 registering with the adjacent end of guide 28 to permit belt 26 to exit from compartment 14 through such opening. As is apparent on FIG. 2, belt 26 is arranged in guide 28 so that, in the portion of the belt extending along the guide across top wall 18 of compartment 14, the balloons carried by the belt will be suspended from the latter into compartment 14 and will have their valve assemblies V projecting upwardly from belt 26 through slot 32 of the guide.

After exiting from compartment 14 through opening 34, belt 26 is extended around a drive wheel 33 mounted on a horizontal shaft 34 journalled in bearings carried by a bracket 35 secured to back wall 19 and a bracket 36 extending from side wall 16. Drive wheel 33 has spaced apart radial projections 37 extending from the peripheral surface thereof for engagment in openings 27 of belt 26. In the embodiment shown, four equally spaced apart projections 37 are provided on drive wheel 33 and the latter is circumferentially dimensioned so that the distance between adjacent projections 37 is equal to the distance along belt 26 between successive openings 27. Thus, when drive wheel 33 is turned or angularly displaced through ninety degrees in the clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 2, belt 26 is advanced along guide 28 through a distance equal to the spacing between successive openings 27.

Belt 26 travels downwardly from drive wheel 33 and is wound on a take-up reel 38 secured on a horizontal shaft 39 which is journalled in bearings carried by a bracket 40 extending from back wall 19.

A friction brake or drag 41 is provided on guide 28 adjacent side wall 15 of compartment 14 (FIGS. 2 and 6). As shown on FIG. 6, at the location of friction brake or drag 41, the upper flanges of channel members 31 have cutouts therein to permit brake shoes 42 to extend through such cutouts into frictional engagement with the upper surface of belt 26 adjacent the opposite longitudinal edges of the latter. Brake shoes 42 are located by means of pins 43 extending upwardly therefrom and being slidable in openings of angle members 44 that are secured, as by screws 45, to channel members 31. Springs 46 are interposed between angle members 44 and shoes 42 so as to urge the latter downwardly into frictional engagement with belt 26. The drag exerted on belt 26 by friction brake 41 ensures that the section of the belt extending between the brake and drive wheel 33 will lie fiat in the horizontal portion of guide 28 extending across the top of compartment 14 and will, upon turning or angular displacement of drive wheel 33, undergo an advancement along guide 28 that accurately corresponds to the angle of displacement of the drive wheel.

A horizontal platform 47 is suitably supported within cabinet 11 above top wall 18 of compartment 14 and carries a bearing 48 (FIG. 5) in which a vertical hollow tube 49 is slidably mounted. Tube 49 is located approximately mid-way between side walls 15 and 16 of compartment 14 and its axis intersects the longitudinal medial line of the slot 32 of guide 28. Secured 0n the lower end of hollow tube 49 is a nozzle 50 which, as shown particularly on FIG. 3, preferably has a frusto-conical lower surface 51 to seat within the upper or exposed end portion of body 21 of the valve assembly V provided in each balloon B. The upper end of tube 49 extends above platform 47 and carries a head 52 having a gas inlet 53 extending therefrom and being vertically guided in a slot 54 of a bracket 55 secured on platform 47 (FIGS. 4 and 5). The engagement of gas inlet 53 in slot 54 of bracket 55 prevents turning of head 52 and tube 49 while leaving the latter free for vertical movement.

Tube 49 is urged upwardly by a helical spring 56 extending therearound between head 52 and platform 47. Head 52 further carries a cam follower roller 57 which is engageable with the bottom of a main cam 58 secured on a shaft 59 journalled in bearings 60 (FIG. 4) supported by platform 47. Thus, tube 49 and nozzle 50 will be moved vertically relative to guide 28, as hereinafter described in detail, in response to the rotation of main cam 58 with shaft 59. In order to effect rotation of shaft 59, machine 10 is provided with an electric drive motor 61 mounted on a bracket 62 .(FIGS. 2 and 4) carried by platform 47 and being coupled to shaft 59 through gearing 63.

Also mounted on shaft 59 is a sprocket 64 (FIG. 4) for driving a chain 65 which extends through an opening in platform 47 and runs around a sprocket 66 secured on a shaft 67 journalled in bearings 68 suspended from platform 47. Shaft 67 carries the driving member 69 of at Geneva mechanism 70 which further includes a driven member 71 secured on shaft 34. The purpose of Geneva mechanism 70 is to effect angular displacement of shaft 34, and hence of drive wheel 33 secured thereon, through ninety degrees during similar angular displacement of shaft 67 and thereafter to hold shaft 34 and drive wheel 33 at rest during the remainder of a complete revolution of shaft 67 which is driven in a 1:1 ratio from shaft 59 through sprockets 64 and 66 and chain 65.

Shaft 67 further carries a pulley 72 (FIG. 4) engaged by a crossed belt 73 which runs around a pulley 74 secured on shaft 39 carrying take-up reel 38. Belt 73 is preferably of the helical spring type so as to be capable of slipping relative to pulleys 72 and 74 during that portion of each revolution of shaft 67 when Geneva mechanism 70 holds shaft 34 at rest.

The gas for inflating each balloon is preferably a mixture of air and helium under pressure from suitable sources thereof, such as, an air compressor 75 situated in cabinet 11 in back of receptacle 20, as indicated in broken lines on FIG. 2, and being driven by an electric motor 76, and a tank 77 of compressed helium. Compressed air from compressor 75 is led through a hose 78, a pressure regulator 79 and a connecting hose 80 to one arm of a Y-coupling having its other arm connected through a hose 82 with a pressure regulator 83 which controls the pressure of helium released from tank 77. A gas supply hose 84 carries the mixture of compressed air and helium from Y-coupling 81 to a solenoid valve 85 which is, in turn, connected through a flexible hose 86 with the gas inlet 53 of head 52. Solenoid valve 85 is normally closed and is opened to permit the flow of the mixture of compressed air and helium from hose 84 to hose 86 and through tube 49 and nozzle 50 to the valve assembly of a balloon with which the nozzle is engaged only upon enengization of the solenoid of valve 85.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it will :be seen that the electrical circuits for controlling the operation of balloon vending machine '10 may include a coin operated switch S1 normally closing a contact Sla thereof and being actuated to temporarily close a contact Slb of the switch in response to the movement of a coin through a slot having an opening 87 (FIG. 1) at front wall 12 of cabinet 11 (FIG. 1). A counter 88 may be connected in series with switch contacts Sla for actuation in response to each actuation of switch S1, thereby to indicate the number of balloons that have been sold or dispensed. The coil of a relay R1 is connected in series with contact Slb so that the momentary closing of contact Slb in response to coin actuation of switch S1 will initiate energizing of relay R1. Relay R1 has normal-1y open contacts Rla connected in series with a normally closed shut-off switch S2 in a hold circuit for the relay so that, upon initiation of the energization of relay R1, as described above, such relay will remain energized until shut-01f switch S2 is opened, as hereinafter described.

As indicated schematically in broken lines on FIG. 1, the door 13 in front wall 12 of the cabinet is preferably provided with a latch or lock 89 for securing door 13 in its closed position upon initiation of an operating cycle of machine and which is released or unlocked to permit opening of door 1'3 upon the completion of the operating cycle. The latch or lock 89 may be locked or engaged in response to energization of a solenoid SL89 (FIG. 8) which is connected in parallel with the coil of relay R1 so as to be energized simultaneously with the latter.

Relay R1 further has normally opened contacts -R1b also connected in series with the normally closed shut-off switch S2 in an energizing circuit for the parallel connected motors 6'1 and 76 for driving shaft 59 and compressor 75, respectively. The circuit for energizing the solenoid SV8'5 of valve 85 is also shown to be in parallel with motors 61 and 76 and to further include a normally closed switch S3 and a normally open switch S4 connected in series therein.

As shown on FIG. 4, the normally closed shut-off switch S2 and the normally closed switch S3 are mounted on platform 47 so as to be actuated, and thereby opened by auxiliary cams 90 and 91, respectively, which are secured on shaft 59 and arranged to effect opening of the respective switches at predetermined points during each operating cycle, as hereinafter described in detail. The normally open switch S4 is also mounted on platform 47 (*FIG. 5) and has an actuator 92 enga cable with the periphery of main cam 58 so as to close switch 84 during a predetermined portion of the operating cycle.

As shown on FIG. 5, main cam 58 has a portion 58a of relatively small radial dimension with an angular extent of approximately ninety degrees from the starting posi tion 0, and a portion 85b of relatively larger radial dimension extending along the remaining periphery of the cam and terminating in an additional lobe or radial enlargement 58c.

Prior to the initiation of an operating cycle of machine 10, cam 58 is disposed with its starting point a at the bottom dead center position for engagement by cam follower roller 57. When roller 57 engages cam portion 58a at the starting position 0, spring 56 raises tube 49 so that the nozzle 50 is spaced upwardly from the path of travel of the valve assemblies V of balloons suspended from belt 26. Further, prior to the initiation of an operating cycle of the machine, Geneva mechanism '70 positions shaft 34 and drive wheel 33 so that belt 26 engaged by the drive wheel will have one of its openings 27 substantially registered with the axis of tube 49. When a new supply of balloons carried by belt 26 is loaded in machine 10, the end portion or leader of the belt having no balloons in the openings 27 thereof is arranged with respect to drive wheel 33 and takeup reel 38 so that the last free opening of belt 26 will be disposed at the position registering with the axis of tube 49.

The above described balloon vending machine 10 operates as follows:

When switch S1 is momentarily closed in response to the insertion of a coin in slot opening 87, or otherwise, counter 88 registers the initiation of the operation of the machine, and relay R1 is energized through closing of switch contact 81b. Energizing of relay R1 closes its hold contacts Rla whereby energization of the relay is maintained through normally closed switch S2 and contacts Rla. Energizing of relay R1 also closes its contacts R112 to energize motor 61 for driving shaft 59 and further to energize motor 76 for operating air compressor '75. During turning of main cam 58 with shaft 59 through an angle of ninety degrees from its starting position, cam follower roller 57 and actuator 92 of switch S4 engage portion 58a of the cam, whereby nozzle 50 remains in its elevated or inoperative position and switch S4 remains in its normally open condition so as to interrupt the circuit for energizing solenoid SV of valve 85. During such turning of shaft 59 through an angle of ninety degrees from its starting position, sprockets 64 and 66, chain 65 and Geneva mechanism 70 cause turning of drive wheel 33 through an angle of ninety degrees, whereby belt 26 is advanced along guide 28 so as to bring the valve assembly V of the first balloon B suspended from the belt to the position registering with the axis of tube 49. After shaft 59 has been turned through an angle of ninety degrees from its starting position, Geneva mechanism 70 halts rotation of drive wheel 33 during further turning of shaft 59. During such further turning of shaft 59, radially enlarged portion 58b of main cam 58 engages cam follower roller 57 and actuator 92 of switch S4. Engagement of cam follower roller 57 with cam portion 53b effects downward movement of tube 49 to bring nozzle 56 into secure seating engagement with valve assembly V which is then registered with the axis of tube 49. Engagement of cam portion 58b with actuator 92 causes closing of switch S4 and thereby completes the circuit for energizing solenoid SV85, whereby valve 85 is open to permit the mixture of compressed air and helium to flow through hose 86, head 52, tube 49 and nozzle 50 into valve assembly V engaged by the latter for inflating the associated balloon, as indicated at B on FIGS. 2 and 5, within compartment 14.

In order to positionally stabilize each valve assembly V during its engagement by nozzle 50, the guide 28 may be provided with a generally U-shaped stabilizing member 93 of spring wire having its 'bight secured to one of the channel members 31, as at 94, so that the arms of the U-shaped member 93 will extend laterally across slot 32 above and below channel members 31 (FIG. 7). The arms of stabilizing member 96 are formed with semicircular mid portions 95 opening in the direction opposed to the movement of belt 26 so that, as a valve assembly V moves to the position registering with the axis of tube 49, such valve assembly will be engaged by, and

resiliently urged to an erect position by the mid portions 95 of the arms of stabilizing member 93.

Immediately prior to the engagement of lobe 58c of cam 58 with cam follower roller 57, auxiliary cam 91 comes into engagement with switch S3 to open the latter and thereby deenergize solenoid SVSS, so that valve 85 is returned to its normally closed condition and the supplying of the mixture of compressed air and helium to nozzle 50 is halted. Upon engagement of cam lobe 580 with roller 57, tube 49 is moved further downward to knock-out the valve assembly and neck of the inflated balloon B from the associated opening of belt 26. Finally, at the completion of a revolution of shaft 59, cam 90 momentarily engages switch S2 so as to open the latter and thereby break the hold circuit of relay R1. The resulting deenergizing of relay R1 and opening of its contacts Rla and Rlb halts the operation of drive motor 61 with cam 53 returned to its starting position, and also halts the operation of motor 76 for driving air compressor 75. The deenergizing of relay R1 further causes deenergizing of solenoid SL89 so that lock 89 is thereby released to permit opening of door 13 and the withdrawal of inflated balloon B from compartment 14. Upon the return of shaft 59 and main cam 58 to the starting position, cams 90 and 91 again release switches S2 and S3 so that the latter are in their normally closed positions, and cam follower roller 57 and switch actuator 92 again engage cam portion 58a at starting position 0, whereby tube 49 is again elevated and switch S4 is returned to its normally open position. Thus, at the completion of a single revolution of shaft 59, machine is conditioned for another cycle of operation.

If desired, coin actuated switch S1 may be replaced by a switch that is intermittently or periodically actuated so as to cause the repeated operation of machine 10 for dispensing a succession of inflated balloons. In the latter case, the door 13 may be omitted from front wall 12 of cabinet 11 so that, as each balloon i inflated in compartment 14, it will eject the previously inflated balloon from the compartment and a succession of inflated balloons will issue from compartment 14 and float upwardly from the cabinet, thereby to provide an attention gathering advertising display.

It will be seen that, in the described machine embodying this invention, the several functions performed during each operating cycle are all controlled from the single shaft 59 and that, considering the functions to be performed, the devices included in machine 10 are simple and relatively inexpensive to produce and assemble. 'Further, by reason of the described construction of the machine 10, its foolproof operation is assured and, in the case where the door 13 is provided for compartment 14 and is locked during the operating cycle, such door prevents tampering with the balloon during it inflation and thereby assures delivery of a fully satisfactory product to the consumer.

Although an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described herein with reference to the drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A balloon vending machine comprising a cabinet having a compartment therein opening to the exterior of the cabinet, a flexible conveying belt movable across said compartment and having openings spaced apart along said belt to receive and frictionally retain necks of balloons therein, a nozzle movable toward and away from said belt for engagement and disengagement, respectively, with a balloon supported by said belt at a position in said compartment registered with said nozzle, means operative to intermittently advance said belt and thereby bring successive balloons supported by the belt to rest at said position for engagement by said nozzle, means to move said nozzle away from said belt during advancement of the latter and to move said nozzle toward said belt for engagement with a balloon when the latter is brought to rest at said position, and means to supply gases under pressure to said nozzle for inflating a balloon within said compartment when the balloon is engaged by said nozzle, whereupon the inflated balloon can be separated from said belt for withdrawal from said compartment.

2. A balloon vending machine according to claim 1; wherein each of said balloons has check valve means in said neck thereof to prevent the escape of inflating gases from the balloon after disengagement from said nozzle.

3. A balloon vending machine according to claim 1; further comprising means operative after the inflation of a balloon at said position to separate the inflated balloon from said belt.

4. A balloon vending machine according to claim 1; further comprising a closure for said compartment movable between an open position and a closed position, and latch means securing said closure in said closed position during advancement of said belt and during the inflation of a balloon at said position.

5. A balloon vending machine according to claim 1; wherein each of the balloon necks has check valve means therein; and

further comprising means operative after the inflation of a balloon at said position to cause further movement of said nozzle in the direction toward said belt so as to act against said check valve means of the inflated balloon for removing such valve means and the balloon neck from the related opening of said belt.

6. A balloon vending machine according to claim 5; wherein said means to move the nozzle toward and away from said belt includes a rotatable cam, and said means to cause further movement for removing the balloon neck and valve means from an opening of the belt is constituted by a lobe on said cam.

7. A balloon vending machine according to claim 6; wherein said means to supply gases to said nozzle includes control means actuated by said cam.

8. A balloon vending machine according to claim 7; further comprising means operative to effect a single complete revolution of said cam during each operating cycle of the machine.

9. A balloon vending machine according to claim 8; wherein said compartment has guide means extending laterally across the top thereof slidably receiving the opposite longitudinal edge portions of said belt and defining a central longitudinal slot through which the balloons depend from said belt into said compartment, said cabinet contains a receptacle for the balloon supporting belt and from which said belt extends into said guide means at one side of said compartment, and said means to intermittently advance the belt includes a drive Wheel disposed at the opposite side of said compartment and having said belt in peripheral engagement with said drive wheel, said drive wheel having peripheral projections engageable in said openings of the belt, and means driven in synchronism with said cam to turn said drive wheel through an angle corresponding to the advance of said belt by a distance equal to the spacing between said openings of the belt in response to turning of said cam during an initial portion of said single revolution and, thereafter, to hold said drive wheel against angular displacement during the remainder of said revolution of the cam.

10. A balloon vending machine according to claim 9; further comprising a take-up reel yieldably driven in response to rotation of said cam and having said belt wound on said reel after engagement by said drive wheel.

11. A balloon vending machine according to claim 9; further comprising means frictionally engaging said belt at said one side of the compartment to yieldably resist 9 10 advancement of the belt in response to turning of said FOREIGN PATENTS drive Wheel. 7 2 1 5 References Cited 9 17 9 7 Germany UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. 2,827,927 3/1958 Findlay 141-174 X 5 E. I. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.

2,864,938 12/1958 Shaw et a1 221--79 X 

